A New Way Of Seeing
by Sweet Nymph
Summary: Beast Boy has had enhanced sight for as long as he can remember. What will he do when it's gone? Genre changes depending on content of most recent chapter. UPDATED!
1. Just a Crush

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans or any of the characters. But the story idea is mine!  
  
A NEW WAY OF SEEING  
  
"Ha! Beat you again!" Cyborg crowed triumphantly.  
  
"You wouldn't if you'd stop cheating!" Beast Boy retorted.  
  
"...Okay. That was low."  
  
Robin interrupted before a full blown war started. "Okay, Titans. Time for combat training."  
  
The two boys reluctantly turned off the Gamestation. Starfire looked at her three friends. "But where is Raven?" she asked. "We cannot train without her."  
  
Robin thought a moment. "I think she's on the roof. Wanna go get her?"  
  
"I'll go." Beast Boy started out the door.  
  
"Okay. Meet us outside."  
  
Beast Boy waved a hand over his shoulder in agreement. Once out of the room, he broke into a jog. He wanted to get to the combat field soon, and Titans Tower, for reasons beyond his understanding, had no elevators.  
  
He was almost to the staircase that led to the roof when he passed by what used to be Terra's room. He ignored it and kept moving, but still felt his heart begin to throb with a dull pain. Actually, it was more his pride than his heart. Since she left, he ha realized that he had never really loved her. It had only been a crush. But it still hurt. It wasn't very pleasant to basically be told that you weren't loved. Would never be loved.  
  
Beast Boy poked his head through the door and looked around the roof. He spotted Raven easily. She was levitating near the edge repeating her mantra. He really hated to interrupt her. She always got angry when she was interrupted, even though she would never admit it.  
  
"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos. Azarath, Metrion, Zin—"  
  
"Raven?"  
  
Raven opened one eye and looked at the green shape shifter. "What do you want?"  
  
Beast Boy rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Um...Combat training. Out on the field."  
  
"Oh. Fine." Raven slipped out of her meditating position and floated off the roof to the ground without looking back.  
  
Beast Boy watched her go, glaring at her back. "Oh, sure. No, no problem. Happy to help. What was that? Yeah, of course I'm coming. Your concern is touching." He blew out a frustrated breath, then changed in to a hawk and followed her to the field.

* * *

Three hours later, the Titans limped in, each nursing various strains and bruises from their workout. All except for Robin.  
  
"Good workout, team!" he declared, flopping easily onto the couch.  
  
Beast Boy glared at him. "Dude, doesn't he ever get hurt?"  
  
Just then, the Titans alarm sounded. Robin, being the only one who was able to move faster than a crawl, rushed over to the computer. "Trouble in Sector Twelve," he announced, now in leader mode. "Let's go, Titans!"  
  
A group groan followed this request.  
  
Robin sighed and glared at the team. "Come on. You've all fought with worse before."  
  
Reluctantly, and with many winces, grumbles, and evil eyes at their leader, the Titans went after the trouble.

* * *

Slade watched from the highest plateau as the Teen Titans sped straight for him. They were still a ways away, but he could see that all but Robin were moving with slightly less agility than usual. Behind his mask, Slade smiled grimly. How convenient, he thought.  
  
Terra, his new apprentice, flew up on a boulder and landed next to him. "Are they coming?" she asked anxiously. "When will they be here?"  
  
"Patience, Terra," Slade soothed. "Everything is going as planned. I assure you, nothing will go wrong." 


	2. Sector Twleve

Disclaimer: See first chapter.  
  
CHAPTER 1  
  
The Titans arrived at Sector Twelve, a mountainous region known for frequent avalanches. Robin took off his helmet and looked around as the other Titans caught up to him. Starfire landed beside him. "Why have we stopped?" she asked.  
  
"We have to go on foot from here," he said quietly, getting off his motorcycle. "This area gets a lot of rock slides. I'm pretty sure that's what the alarm was about."  
  
Starfire's eyes widened. "You mean, you do not know?"  
  
"Not for sure," he said. "But I can't think of anything else it could be."  
  
The other teenagers walked up to them. Cyborg looked at the mouth of the canyon. "So, we goin' in?"  
  
Robin nodded once and led the team into the dry gulch.

* * *

Slade watched his young rivals enter the canyon. "Terra."  
  
He didn't looked away from his greatest enemy as she joined him on his outlook. "They are in place. You may begin."  
  
Terra nodded and flew off. Slade smiled behind his mask. Soon, my adversary. Soon, you will once again be mine.

* * *

A/N: I know. Another short chapter. I'm sorry. I'll make them longer in the future. I PROMISE!!!  
  
PS—Just in case anyone was wondering, no Slade isn't gay. 


	3. Horrible Scenes

Disclaimer: See first chapter  
  
To Local Suggester—Great Idea! I had already planned to do that, but if I hadn't, I certainly would now.

* * *

Chapter 2  
  
The Titans had searched every inch of the canyon as they moved along, but so far hadn't found anything. How hard is it to find an avalanche site? Beast Boy thought. He was about to ask why Robin suddenly stopped. Starfire asked, "What is it Rob—"  
  
"Shh," he hissed. "Do you hear that?"  
  
"Hear what?" Cyborg asked.  
  
"It sounds like someone calling for help."  
  
The Titans all listened. Beast Boy's eyes narrowed. He did hear something. It did sound like someone calling for help. And it was coming from...  
  
"Over there." Robin pointed to an area where the path they were following curved. He broke into a run and, closely followed by his teammates, followed the curve and came face to face with an avalanche site. He placed his ear on one of the boulders and listened. "There's someone in here," he asserted. "Come on. We've got to get them out of here."  
  
The Titans began hefting boulders. Robin had to take the smaller ones at the bottom. Beside him, Beast Boy, in the form of a gorilla, and Cyborg handled the larger ones. Starfire carried off huge rocks from higher up. Raven was mentally moving large quantities wherever she thought they would do the most good.  
  
Robin gritted his teeth. This was taking too long. Someone could be hurt under there. They had to find out now.  
  
"Beast Boy."  
  
The shape shifter stopped digging and went back to his human form. "Yeah?"  
  
"We need to see if anyone is hurt. Can you get in there and find whoever got caught in the landslide?"  
  
Beast Boy gave the leader a thumbs up and grinned. "Hey, no problem." He quickly changed into a mouse and squirmed his way through the boulders.  
  
Beneath the rocks, it was incredibly dark. The only light was what seeped through minuscule holes in the granite. Fortunately, that was enough. His eyesight had been exceptional ever since he had been a child. Or, rather, since he had gotten his powers. It amounted to the same thing. No matter what form he was in, he had almost perfect night vision. His eyes, much like a cat's, absorbed whatever light was available and allowed him to see clearly in near perfect darkness. They even glowed with an eerie white light. He should know, he'd spent hours admiring the effect.  
  
Along with the night vision, his regular eyesight was even better than 20/20. He had distance vision like an eagle. His friends didn't know this, though. He didn't like flaunting it.  
  
Beast Boy wriggled through another tight spot, making his way toward the cries for help. He looked around, deciding which way it would be easiest to get through. The sound of a voice was getting clearer, louder. He followed the noise, and soon came to a large empty space. Frowning, he looked around. It was large enough for a few people to be caught in without getting hurt, but there was no one there. Switching back to his human form, Beast Boy crouched to look at the ground. Yup, it was dirt, not rocks. Definitely the ground. He was at the most likely place for the victim to be trapped. So, why wasn't anyone here?  
  
Beast Boy looked around again. Could there be another hole somewhere? Unlikely, but possible. He was just about to leave when his foot kicked something. It was a small tape recorder, something that hadn't been seen for years. The Play button was depressed, and it was playing...  
  
A recording of someone screaming for help.  
  
Beast Boy almost dropped the tape player in shock. Why would someone hide such a thing under an avalanche? It would have taken careful planning to keep it from being crushed. What possible purpose could it serve?  
  
"_Beast Boy, have you found anything?"_ Robin's voice said over the communicator.  
  
Beast Boy took it off his belt and responded. "Yeah, I found something alright. Only it's not a person."  
  
Robin looked at his communicator in confusion, then at the other teens who were listening to the conversation. "Then, what is it?" he asked.  
  
The answer came. "_A tape recorder_."  
  
Robin looked at the communicator again. "Uh, run that by me again."  
  
"_The sound we heard was a recording of someone in trouble. That's what's down here_."  
  
Robin shook his head. "But that doesn't make any sense. Why would a tape recorder be planted down there? Unless this is a..." Robin stopped as comprehension dawned.  
  
"A trap," Raven finished for him.  
  
Just then, an explosion of rocks erupted close to where the Titans were standing. Robin went immediately into battle mode. "Titans, split up," he ordered. The team instinctively followed his command. They were each followed by a shower of stones that barely missed them.  
  
"Where is that coming from?" Cyborg asked, not really expecting an answer.  
  
"I do not know," Starfire responded, looking around wildly for the culprit.  
  
"Starfire, look out!"  
  
Robin's warning came an instant too late. Before she could move, a huge bolder slammed into her, carrying her to the ground. Her scream of pain reverberated through the canyon.  
  
"Starfire!" Robin rushed to her side where Cyborg and Raven were already kneeling. Starfire was clutching her leg and whimpering in agony.  
  
"It's her leg," Raven said. "It's broken."  
  
A cruel laugh brought their attention to the figures hovering above them on a floating boulder. Slade's eyes gleamed with a callous delight. "I think your aim has improved, Terra," he said, not looking away from Robin. "That was a very well placed throw."  
  
Robin gritted his teeth as he once again faced his archenemy. "Slade," he hissed.  
  
"And Terra." Raven examined the petite blonde. "I thought we left you wrapped up in lava."  
  
Terra glared at her. "You did. You just left me there to rot, and Slade got me out. Now I know who my real friends are."  
  
Robin turned his attention to Terra. "He's not your friend, Terra. He's no one's friend. We would have gotten you out as soon as we could. But now, you can help us defeat him."  
  
Terra tossed her head. "Save your psychology tactics, Robin. It won't work this time." She lifted her arms and sent a shower of rocks onto them. The teens ducked and covered their heads as best they could. Robin looked up just to see Terra head in one direction on a boulder, and Slade running the other way on a plateau. He stood up. "We've got to go after them."  
  
"No way, man," Cyborg said. "Starfire can't fight in her condition. She needs a doctor."  
  
Robin gritted his teeth and watched as the distance between him and Slade steadily grew. "Fine. You get her to a doctor. Raven, you go after Terra." He lowered his voice dramatically. "I'm going after Slade."

* * *

Beast Boy wriggled out of the rock pile as quickly as he could. He had heard Raven's prediction that this was a trap, and the crashes and screams that followed. He just hoped he wasn't too late.  
  
He squeezed his rodent body through the opening that took him out of the avalanche. He instantly switched back to human form and looked around for his friends. He didn't see them. Where were they?

* * *

Robin leaped from mesa to mesa, closing the gap between himself and Slade. He watched Slade leap into a small canyon, then followed him down. Slade ran through the narrow valley until he reached a dead end. Robin smiled to himself. At long last, he would finally catch Slade. He would win.  
  
Robin stepped boldly forward. "It's over, Slade," he announced. "It's over."  
  
Slade turned to face him. It seemed to Robin that the criminal was smiling behind his mask. But why would he be smiling? He had lost.  
  
Slade looked at Robin and shook his head. "Oh no, Robin. It is far from over. In fact, it is just beginning."  
  
Robin stood for a moment, stunned at his words. Then, with a powerful battle cry, he attacked. Robin ran forward, leaped into the air with one leg out ready to hit Slade in the chest...  
  
And flew right through him.  
  
"Whoa!" Robin turned himself in midair and landed feet first on the ground. Somewhere, Slade laughed as the hologram vanished, leaving Robin alone in the canyon.

* * *

Eyes glowing, Raven caught a shower of rocks in midair and sent them back to Terra, who blocked them with even more flying rocks.  
  
"You can't defeat me, Raven," Terra said, throwing three large boulders at the half-demon.  
  
Raven raised an eyebrow. "I have before."  
  
Terra ground her teeth together and let out a yell as she threw more rocks at her.  
  
As she blocked the stones, Raven thought, _This isn't getting us anywhere. We're too evenly matched. I need something to tip the odds. But Starfire and Cyborg are gone, Robin went after Slade, and I don't even know what happened to Beast Boy.  
_

* * *

A green hawk flew toward the fight between the demon and the elemental. _Man, I hope everyone's all right_, Beast Boy thought worriedly. He didn't want anymore deaths on his conscience. He landed on the edge of the mesa when he found Raven and Terra. _They're a pretty close match_, he thought, watching them. _If I help, me and Raven can beat her easy._ He was just about to change into a tiger when one of Terra's boulders rammed into Raven, knocking her down. And Terra had several more boulders at the ready.  
  
Raven gasped for breath. That one had knocked the wind out of her. Slowly, she started to push herself to her feet as Terra, smiling triumphantly, let several more boulders go, aimed directly at Raven.  
  
Raven fought for the energy to catch them, but having the wind knocked out of her had ruined her focus, and she still didn't have enough breath or time to move out of the way. Time seemed to slow as the boulders flew ever nearer. _So this is how it ends_, she thought. _I really didn't want to die by her hand._ The boulders flew closer, and closer still. Raven thought her life must be flashing before her eyes, but she only saw the past few years, the years she had been with the Teen Titans. She thought of Robin and his relentless pursuit of justice, Starfire and her endless enthusiasm for life, Cyborg and his placid friendship, and Beast Boy and his endless jokes and easygoing humor. She really did think he was funny, and she wished she could have told him so. She thought of all this in a mere moment as she watched the rocks that would inevitably end her life draw ever closer. She thought she heard someone call her name, but that was probably her imagination. The rocks were almost here. _I hope this doesn't hurt too much_, she thought. So close. They were just about to hit her...  
  
"Ah!" Raven cried out as she was pushed aside, out of the way of the deadly stones. She landed several feet away and turned just in time to see the rocks intended for her hit Beast Boy! She scrambled painfully to her feet as the horrible scene played out before her eyes. The rocks hit Beast Boy with such force that he was thrown off the plateau into the side of another one. The mesa he hit had enough loose rocks to start an avalanche at the slightest provocation. And it did. As Beast Boy's limp form fell toward Earth, the rocks from the plateau ledge followed. Raven focused as much energy as she could trying to stop the rocks, but there were too many of them and she had been too late. Dropping to her knees, she was forced to watch her teammate be buried under the rockslide.

* * *

A/N: Yay! Longer chapter. I told you I would do it! Please Review! 


	4. Realizations

Disclaimer: See first chapter.  
  
A/N: ScarletAngel68, you'll just have to wait and see. (  
  
Oh, by the way DarkXeno, I like "Nevermore".

* * *

Chapter 3  
  
_"NOOOOOOO!"_  
  
Slade didn't flinch at the crash of a priceless Ming vase breaking. Instead, he lifted his teacup to his lips and took a sip.  
  
Terra lost the energy to destroy more artifacts and fell to her knees sobbing. "You... you said he wouldn't be hurt," she whimpered. "You said he wouldn't be in the way."  
  
Slade sighed and set his cup and saucer on the table at his elbow and picked up the mask he had placed there earlier. He was sitting in the shadows, so his apprentice could not see his face, which was exactly the point. Placing the mask over his face, he turned to face Terra. "Really, Terra. There is no need for these histrionics."  
  
"But he's _dead_!" she sobbed. "I _killed_ him! I... killed... him."  
  
"Not at all, Terra," Slade said, walking passed her to a monitor.  
  
"Wha... what do you mean?" Terra sat up, no longer crying.  
  
"Do you really think I would let you have him as a pet if he were as weak as you seem to think he is?" He pressed a button and a hospital room appeared on the screen. In the hospital bed laid Beast Boy, unconscious, bruised, and with a bandage around his head, but apparently, none the worse for wear. And definitely alive. Terra gasped, her eyes glowing with surprise and hope. Slade didn't notice. His eyes were focused on the shapeshifter lying on the hospital bed. Behind his mask, Slade smiled. "Yes, you will get what you want." His eyes narrowed menacingly.  
  
"And so will I."

* * *

Robin looked at the door of the waiting room again. Seeing no doctor or nurse with news about Beast Boy, he resumed his pacing and bumped into Cyborg, who was following his example. Starfire, who had been allowed to leave her own room to be with her friends, was sobbing softly into a tissue, her leg in a cast.  
  
Robin paused to look at Raven. She seemed to be taking the accident the hardest. She was sitting next to Starfire, back straight, staring blankly ahead, her face even paler than usual.  
  
Robin had rushed back to where the Titans had split up after chasing the hologram to find Raven in an awful state. She had been kneeling next to Beast Boy's body, just staring at him. As near as he could tell, she had used her powers to dig him out of the rubble and had gone into shock. Robin had check Beast Boy's pulse, then called Cyborg and told him to send an ambulance.  
  
He didn't know what the doctors were doing with him. Surely just a few broken bones wouldn't take this long to wrap up. It was as if they were operating on him in there. But that would only be necessary if...  
  
Robin wouldn't let himself finish the thought.  
  
He was about to start pacing again when the waiting room door opened. An elderly man, maybe about fifty, in a white lab coat came out. He spoke briefly with the receptionist, then came over to the teens.  
  
"Hello. I'm Doctor Christopher." The man smiled and held out his hand. Robin shook it, but couldn't smile. "How's Beast Boy? Is he..."  
  
"He has a pretty severe concussion," the doctor said, "but that seems to be the worst of the injuries."  
  
Starfire looked up hopefully. Raven actually focused on the doctor.  
  
"Beyond that," he continued, "he only has a few cracked ribs, some cuts that I already stitched up, and bruises of varying sizes." Dr. Christopher smiled cheerfully. "I must say, to come away from a fall like that with only mild injuries, he must be a _very_ strong young man."  
  
Robin let out a relieved breath. "Can we see him now?"  
  
The doctor thought a moment. "Well... he's still unconscious, but I don't see any problem with that."

* * *

His first though was, _Did anyone get the license number of that tank?  
_  
Beast Boy tried not to move, but no matter how hard he tried, he still had to breathe. Taking shallow breaths, he tried to remember what had happened. Suddenly, it all came back to him. Terra, Raven, the boulders, the avalanche.  
  
The pain.  
  
Fortunately, he had gotten knocked unconscious before he was completely buried.  
  
Unfortunately, he was making up for that now.  
  
He started to open his eyes, but even that hurt. His breath came out in a hiss, which faded into a moan. _Probably better to keep my eyes closed.  
  
_"Beast Boy? Are you awake?"  
  
"Robin?" Beast Boy considered trying to open his eyes again, just to make sure he wasn't delusional, but decided against it.  
  
"Don't worry, Beast Boy. The doctors say you're going to be fine."  
  
"They also said you were really lucky to be alive." This from Cyborg, relief and the last dregs of worry clear in his voice.  
  
"We are all so grateful that you are all right." Starfire punctuated this by plowing her nose. Loudly.  
  
He waited for Raven to add her good wishes to the rest, but he didn't hear a thing from her. Panic rose instantly in his chest area. "Where's Raven?" he asked. "Is she all right? Did she get caught in the slide?"  
  
"Calm down, Beast Boy. She's right here." Robin paused. "I think she's in shock."  
  
Beast Boy relaxed, but not much. "I'd open my eyes, but it hurts to much," he joked, even though it was entirely true.  
  
There was a long pause. Then Cyborg spoke. "BB, your eyes are open."  
  
Beast Boy felt his eyes widen in surprise, so he knew his friend wasn't joking. "Whoa, it must be, like, pitch black in here. What, the lights not working or something?"  
  
There was another pause, this one longer and filled with almost tangible tension.  
  
Starfire broke the silence. "But, Robin," she whispered, "the lights are on."  
  
Beast Boy froze, then, ignoring the pain because he no longer felt it, he ran his fingers over his blank, unseeing eyes.

* * *

"Blind?" Terra cried. "Oh, _no_!" She resumed sobbing. "Oh, no. _Blind!_ It would have been better if I _had_ killed him!"  
  
Slade ignored his histrionic apprentice and stared murderously at the screen. _This ruins _everything! he thought furiously, his hand curled into a deadly fist.  
  
Then, suddenly, it loosened. Slade turned from the screen to his student. "As I said before, Terra, there is no need for hysterics."  
  
The tiny blonde breathed deeply a few times before answering. "But... but he's blind. Doesn't that ruin everything?"  
  
"Not at all," he answered, turning back to the screen. "It only... changes a few things."

* * *

A/N: Please R/R!


	5. Two Months Later

Disclaimer: See first chapter.  
  
A NEW WAY OF SEEING  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Starfire peeked into Beast Boy's room. He hadn't moved since the last time she checked on him and hour ago. Or the time before that.  
  
He was lying on his bed, still as a board, and staring at the ceiling.  
  
Except that he couldn't see the ceiling.  
  
Forcing a smile to her face, she entered the room, careful not to tip the tray she carried. "Hello, Beast Boy," she said brightly with a cheerful smile plastered to her face. She knew he couldn't see her, but she was certain that her voice would reveal a frown.  
  
He made no response as she set the tray on the table Cyborg had positioned next to the bed. "I have acquired some food for you," she said, feeling a little less cheerful. "Soy milk and soup," she continued when he didn't reply. "It is Cream of Mushroom. Your favorite." The only move he made was to blink.  
  
Starfire bit her lip in attempt to hold back her tears. "Oh, please, Beast Boy. You must nourish yourself." She picked up the spoon, filled it with soup, and tried to ladle some into his mouth.  
  
He finally reacted.  
  
Starfire gasped and jumped back when his arm shot out to slap her hand away.  
  
"I'm not an invalid," he growled, half-sitting up and glaring in her general direction. "I can feed myself."  
  
Starfire picked the fallen spoon up off the floor and placed it on the table. "I'll... come back for the bowl," she said as she left.  
  
The other Titans were waiting for her in the living room. "How is he?" asked Cyborg from the couch.  
  
Starfire thought a moment before answering. "I think, perhaps, he is getting better. He told me that he is not invalid and would not allow me to offer assistance in feeding him."  
  
Robin looked heartened. "He finally spoke?"  
  
Starfire nodded and joined him and Cyborg on the couch. Cyborg sighed and closed his eyes. "It's been a long time."  
  
"Two months," Robin elaborated. "And he hasn't said a word until now."  
  
Raven listened from the kitchen table. Two months. Even after the doctor said he would live, maybe even get his eyesight back eventually, she had been worried. Worried that he would die anyway. Not because of his injuries, but because he had lost the will to live. For the past two months, he had rarely left his bed. And then only when Robin or Cyborg dragged him out of it so he could bathe and relieve himself.  
  
Everyone except Raven had been taking turn bringing him food, helping—sometimes forcing—him to eat it.  
  
But this was the first time he had done anything that he hadn't been forced into. Maybe he was getting better. But...  
  
She wouldn't let herself think about it.  
  
Finally, Raven shut the book she wasn't reading and left the room. If there was one thing to keep her from thinking, it was meditation.

* * *

The other Titans watched Raven leave. "Do you think... will Raven be alright, as well?" Starfire wondered aloud.  
  
Robin shook his head. "I don't know. She's been taking it pretty hard." No one had to ask what it was.  
  
"Perhaps, when Beast Boy gets better, she will, too."  
  
"Maybe." Robin glanced at Starfire's calf. "How's you're leg?"  
  
"It is fine. I told you: Tamaranian bones heal very quickly." The cast had been removed after only a week.  
  
"Perhaps someone should speak to her," Starfire said, bringing the conversation back to Raven. "She is still very upset. She will become ill if these humors are not released somehow."  
  
Robin stood up. "I'll go."

* * *

A knock on her door interrupted Raven's meditation. "Go away," she said.  
  
"Raven?" Robin entered the room. "Are you okay?"  
  
"What part of 'go away' did you not understand?"  
  
"Raven, we're worried about you. You're still upset. Maybe if you talk about it—"  
  
Raven turned her head to look at him. "Stop trying to get me to talk," she said firmly. "You're always trying to get me to talk nowadays. Just like—" Raven stopped and turned away.  
  
"Raven," Robin began sympathetically, "it wasn't your fault."  
  
"Yes it was," she whispered.  
  
"How? You didn't push him off the cliff."  
  
Raven shut her eyes tightly as tidal waves of memories crashed over her. "It wasn't luck that he survived," she began.  
  
Robin blinked confusedly. "What?"  
  
Raven continued as if he hadn't spoken. "After I saw him fall, I dug him out. But I was too late. He was badly injured; crushed bones, punctured lungs, internal injuries. His organs were bleeding so badly."  
  
Robin was speechless. "How... how did you know?" he asked when he got his voice back.  
  
Raven held up her hands and looked at them. "Some of my powers are for healing. I could see his injuries. I could see..." She closed her eyes and fought for control. "I knew he was dying. He needed help. Badly. So I did what I could. But it wasn't enough.  
  
"I went through his whole body. I healed anything that was fatal, then anything else I could find.  
  
"But I ran out of energy before I could get it all. I knew he would live, though. I thought it would be enough."  
  
"It was," Robin said, laying a hand on her shoulder. "You did more than anyone would have expected."  
  
"No I didn't!" She jerked away from him. "I didn't even check his head for injuries. His entire skull could have been crushed, and _I would not have known!_" The comedy-tragedy masks statue by he door exploded. Robin covered himself with his cape so the pieces wouldn't cut him.  
  
Drained of her rage, Raven collapsed into a chair. "So, you see, it really is my fault."  
  
Robin sighed. She seemed determined to blamed herself. "Even if you didn't save his sight, you did save his life. That more than makes up for anything you think you're to blame for." He patted her shoulder lightly before walking to the door. "And I know Beast Boy feels the same."

* * *

Read and Review! 


	6. Unseeing Eyes

**Disclaimer:** Do I really have to say it?

**A/N: **Sorry about the long wait. I've been having a serious case of _Writer's Block_. I just recently got over it. Hopefully, I'll be able to update more often, but what with college, I wouldn't bet anything important on it.

* * *

**Chapter 6**

Beast Boy lay on his bed, silently staring at nothing. Because that's all he could see. Nothing. Not even blackness.

It was strange. Every time he had hear or read a description of blindness, it had always involved an endless darkness. But he didn't even see that.

He couldn't let himself think too long about what it was like to look into an emptiness so deep that black and dark couldn't even exist. It was too disturbing.

Sighing, he sat up carefully. A few months ago, the action would have left him with an aching head. But Cyborg had removed the top bunk a while ago. He made a mental note to thank his friend for that later. Warily, Beast Boy felt for the side table where Starfire had left his meal. If he had to act like a jerk so she wouldn't feed him like a baby, the least he could do was feed himself. Unsure as to the exact location of the bowl, and not very anxious to make a big mess he couldn't clean up himself, Beast Boy sniffed at the air. He could smell the soup. Veggie, as promised. Still hot. Just a little to the left.

His hand came in contact with the hot bowl, but he didn't bother noticing the scald. Keeping his left hand on the bowl, he searched for the spoon with tentative pats on the tray. _Let's see. Nothing, nothing, cup, nothing, napkin, nothing, nothing, got it!_

Carefully, he took the bowl in his hand and lifted it to just below his chin. Just as carefully, he ladled some soup into the spoon and brought it to his mouth. Smiling as he chewed, Beast Boy silently celebrated his first self-feeding in... God, how long had it been? Time had lost all meaning when he lost his sight. Actually, pretty much everything had lost its meaning. He didn't even know the time, let alone the day. A week, a month, a year might have passed. He had no clue.

His friends had been tolerant. More than tolerant, he admitted. They had forced him to survive when he would have been content to let himself die.

Beast Boy grimaced. He could see why Raven was so moody all the time.

Emptiness did that to a person.

* * *

Raven watched Beast Boy from the shadowed doorway of his room. He hadn't noticed the door opening or her presence. This was the first time she had seen him since the hospital.

If she had a heart, it would be breaking.

He made a pitiful figure, sitting on the edge of his bed, spooning food into his mouth interspersed with occasional, awkward sips of soymilk. But his eyes were the worst. Those eyes that used to be so animated, so alive. And now they were empty, flat. Dead.

It wasn't just the blindness. She had seen blind people before, but none of their eyes had been as blank as Beast Boy's were now. No, it was an emptiness that went much deeper. All the way to his soul.

Raven bit her lip before she could release the guilty cry that rose in her throat. It was her fault. It was _all her fault!_ If she had only been stronger... But she hadn't been. What she had told Robin had been truthful as far as it went, but it hadn't gone very far.

True, she had healed Beast Boy as best she could. What she didn't say was that she healed by absorbing pain into herself. Not the injury; just the pain. But the result was the same: the injury vanished with the pain.

She hadn't been in shock at the hospital that day. Not entirely. She had been in _pain_! Her entire body had been screaming from the extent of Beast Boy's injuries.

If she had only taken a little bit more... if she had only doctored his head first, she might have spared his sight. His eyes might not be so blank, so empty.

It was all her fault.

* * *

Terra stepped out of the shadows and into the even darker presence of her master. Although she had successfully avoided him for almost eight weeks, she had known it couldn't last. Actually, she was surprised she had gotten away with it for so long. She had overreacted about Beast Boy those months ago. But it had been a very... emotional time of month for her. And she suspected her leader knew it, which only made the situation worse.

She came as close to Slade as she dared. He may have rescued her from an eternal rocky sleep, but she hadn't forgotten how he had treated her before then. And she still feared him.

He didn't have the control over her the suit had allowed. It had melted in the lava. The resulting scars all over her body were a small price to pay for the dubious freedom she had been given. She wouldn't take it for granted again.

"Terra. Report."

He had an amazing ability to greet and order at the same time. And with complete nonchalance.

Terra looked up at him. Literally. He was seated in a chair set on a dais like a throne. But that was where the obvious nobility of the room ended. The chair in which he was seated was an overstuffed armchair of soft brown leather. On his right stood a mahogany side table set with a delicate porcelain tea set. If it had been anyone else in the midst of such a setting, she would have questioned his... preferences. However, Slade had an aura about him that commanded respect and obedience. Even if he did drink tea.

She clasped her shaking hands behind her back before responding. "There's nothing to report," she answered. "No one has left the Tower. There haven't been any serious crimes, so the police have been able to handle everything that has come up."

"Hmm." Slade cradled a teacup in his hands, but made no move to take a drink. That would involve removing his mask, which he never did. Not even in front of Terra.

Especially in front of Terra.

"The Titans have upgraded their security. So far, there's no way to tap it." She punctuated her information with a shrug. "And that's all."

"'That' is never 'all'," he countered. Slade set his cup aside and rose to his feet in one smooth motion. "I expected better from you, Terra." He began walking down the steps toward her. "You had shown such promise. You almost succeeded in destroying me. Almost," he finished mockingly.

By now, he was right in front of her. Terra refused to be intimidated. She wouldn't let him know he could still frighten her merely by being alive. She stood her ground and raised her chin a notch.

Slade began circling her like a vulture around a slowly dying animal. "I would think, after everything I have done for you, you would owe me more than this."

"I don't owe you anything!" Terra snapped, betraying herself with the vehemence in her voice.

Slade stopped on her left. "Oh, I think you do. Not only did I teach you everything you know, I also revived you when your so-called 'friends' would have left you with nothing but a plaque. I even took you back after you tried to kill me. Who else would have given you so many chances?"

_Beast Boy would_, she thought. He might not love her anymore—if he ever had—but he was still her friend. He would have given her another chance. The only reason she hadn't gone to him immediately was because she _did_ feel as though she owed Slade. Not that he would ever hear it from her.

Would he still forgive her, after she caused him to lose his sight? He had to! He might not love her anymore, but he would again. She could take care of him, and he would start loving her once more.

"I owe you nothing," she repeated.

Slade studied her for a moment, then turned and began to walk away. After no more than five steps, he turned on her, his fist flying out at her with deadly precision. Instinctively, she used her powers to force a wall to protect herself from the fist. Slade's hand crashed into the limestone barrier a split second after it appeared. There was silence. He made no move to take out his hand; she made no move to remove the barrier. It was impossible to decipher his reaction. The one eye left visible by his mask revealed no emotions. Finally, he pulled his hand from the crevice created by the force of his blow and deliberately turned away again.

"I want results, Terra," he demanded, never changing his leisurely pace. "Find out what is going on inside Titans Tower. I want to see how each of them has recovered."

"And if I can't get in?" she retorted snidely.

Slade paused at the exit. "Lure them out."

* * *

Beast Boy froze. There was someone in the room. He heard someone breathing. Someone other than him. "Who is it?" he demanded.

Raven wanted to leave. She wanted to take advantage of his new handicap and escape. Her every instinct screamed for her to run. But she knew she couldn't do that to him. He deserved better.

"I...it's me," she answered.

Beast Boy relaxed slightly. The one person who hadn't been to visit him. At least, he couldn't remember hearing her voice for a long time. "Hey."

Raven bit her lip. His voice sounded so dull. "I just wanted to s..." She wracked her brain for a cover.

"To see me," he finished. His mouth twisted into a cynical mockery of his former grin. "Hey, at least you can."

Raven hated this. Hated hearing him joke about himself. And hated herself for giving him a reason to. The only reason she didn't cry was because she wouldn't let herself, and because there was a light back in his eyes. It was dim, but it was there.

"Beast Boy, I..."

But before she could finish, the alarm went off. She thought about ignoring whatever emergency, but before she decided, Beast Boy made the choice for her. "Better get going," he said. "They'll need you help."

The smile, forced as it was, had vanished. So had the tiny light that had illuminated his unseeing eyes for so short a time. After one last look, Raven turned away without finishing her statement. Sometimes, "I'm sorry" just wasn't enough.


	7. Triumph and Dispair

A/N: Insert deep and heartfelt apology for inexcusably long gap between updates here.

Disclaimer: If I owned them, this would be a movie and there wouldn't be a _need_ for any stinking updates.

* * *

**A New Way of Seeing**

The alarm had long since faded, yet Beast Boy continued to sit on his bed, blank eyes considering the empty dishes on the table. To his way of thinking, he had two choices. He could a) finally leave his room and take his dishes to the kitchen himself, risk getting lost in his own home, but possibly regain some of his lost independence. Or he could b) just sit there like a bump on a log and wait for someone to come take care of him like a child or an invalid. Neither option was very appealing, but if he _had_ to choose…

Carefully, Beast Boy felt for the dishes and picked them up. He took in a bracing breath of air, stood, and was consumed by an overwhelming sense of vertigo. The entire world felt like it was spinning. The floor refused to stay still. Beast Boy lost all sense of direction. He had no idea which way was up, which was down, if he was by his bed or the door, on the Earth or the moon.

The dishes thunked lightly, hitting the floor as Beast Boy fell to his knees. Blind eyes wide, he gasped repeatedly, his lungs never seeming to take in enough air. After several minutes, his heart rate slowed to a moderate pound, and his breathing returned almost to normal.

_I can't do this_, Beast Boy thought. _I can't get up now. Not if that's gonna happen again._

_What kind of hero are you?_ another voice demanded.

_I'm not_, he responded. _Not anymore._

_Not if you let a little think like blindness beat you._

_You call this a **little** thing? I can't even stand up without losing my balance!_

You stood up too fast. You've got to take things slowly until you're used to it. Now get up and try again!

That second voice was starting to sound a lot like Robin, only less patronizing. And it had a point.

Beast Boy patted the floor until he located his cup, bowl, and spoon. He gathered those, then gathered the courage to stand again. Slowly, consciously keeping his breathing steady, he adjusted his left leg until his foot lay flat on the floor. Next, keeping both utensil-filed hands on the ground, he raised himself to a kneeling position. The dizziness threatened to overtake him again. _Not this time._ Beast Boy froze, keeping his hands and foot firmly on the ground, forcing air in and out of his lungs until the feeling passed.

Take it slow, Beast Boy. Just… take it slow.

Following his own advice, Beast Boy raised his other leg so both feet were on the floor, and then slowly, slowly stood up. He remained like that, standing perfectly still, for several seconds before sighing in relief. He wasn't going to fall over again. Not yet, at least, he reasoned. But I'll worry about that later. Right not, I have to figure out where the door is.

Beast Boy had gotten turned around before he fell, so he was unsure where he was in the room. He slid his foot tentatively forward, then his other foot. On the next attempt he calf bumped into his bed. Beast Boy frowned. He hadn't even traveled two feet! His mouth tightened into a hard line. He could do this. He could.

Beast Boy passed his glass to his left hand, freeing the right one. He kept his fingers pressed to the bed, guiding himself first to the wall, then to the door and out into the hall.

So far, so good, he reflected, taking a minute to remember in which direction lay the living room. It was harder than he thought it would be. A wrong turn wouldn't be a minor inconvenience anymore. It would be a crushing failure. He wouldn't even be able to find his way back to his room!

The dishes clinked together as a gloved hand clenched around them. Beast Boy's heart rate increased as he fought off the wave of panic swelling from his gut.

Down the hall, around the corner, first door on the left, which means I have to be on the other wall.

As hallways went, the ones in Titans' Tower were pretty average, but at the moment, Beast Boy may as well have been about to take a freefall into the middle of space. He gulped, steeling himself, and pressed his back against the wall. He took in several deep breaths, and stepped forward.

It was like being in the middle of the ocean, nothing for miles, the only purchase the floor beneath his feet. But Beast Boy didn't allow himself to stop. He forced his feet forward, keeping on arm ahead of him. It only took a few seconds to cross the hall, but it felt like hours. The relief he felt at reaching the other side was almost as overwhelming as the dizziness had been. Carefully, slowly he made his way down the hall, following the wall to the living room.

The door opened with a hydraulic whoosh, echoed by Beast Boy's own sigh of relief. Figuring the technique he'd been utilizing would continue to work, he made his way to the kitchen, feeling his way with the walls, the table, and anything else conveniently bolted to the floor. Finally, Beast Boy felt his hand sink into the... well, the sink and felt the tiny seed of pride that his first success had planted grow a little. If I made it this far, I may as well go all the way, he thought before groping the air for the faucet. He closed his eyes, finding it seems to help him concentrate on what he wasn't seeing. Using his hands to "see", he somehow managed to locate the dish soap and sponge, clean the bowl, cup, and spoon, and set all three to dry in the dish rack. Then he just stood there in amazement. He had done it. He had completed a five-minute chore in twenty minutes, but he had completed it. On his own. Without seeing. The tiny seed of pride blossomed into a freaking rainforest. He could go on! He didn't have to see to function! If he could clean a dish, he could do anything! Well... perhaps he'd never get another moped, but as long as he could walk, who needed a moped?

One of the doors in another room whooshed open, followed by the muffled conversation of four above-average teenagers. The Titans were back from whatever crisis had popped up. Beast Boy didn't even try to suppress his elated grin. Man, were they ever going to be surprised! Surprised and proud. Maybe they'd throw him a party! Never mind that he wouldn't be able to see the gigantic banner they'd make him, a party sounded great. He felt his way over to the door to greet them, but stopped when they got close enough for his keen ears to pick up their conversation.

The subject: him.

* * *

"But the doctors said there was a chance his sight could return." Starfire had been trying to reason with Robin for a long time, long after Raven and Cyborg had given up repeating the same arguments over and over again.

"They also said if his sight hasn't returned by now, it probably won't return at all." Robin stopped in front of the living room door and turned to face his team. Well... most of his team. "Look, I don't like it anymore than any of you do, but we've got to face the facts. The blood clots behind his eyes aren't dissipating. They can't use medication because of Beast Boy's DNA, and surgery would just blind him, anyway."

Cyborg spoke up for the first time in ten minutes. "But we can't just kick him off the team! Where would he go? What would he do? He's our friend, man..."

"I don't intend to kick him off the team." It stung Robin's pride that they thought he would do something that heartless. "I'm just saying we have to do something about him. We can't spare anyone to take care of him all the time, not now. Not ever." He pressed a button and walked into the living room, looking and talking over his shoulder. "And now that he's blind, there's just no way Beast Boy can be a superhero. Hey, what's wrong?"

Robin frowned at his team. They had frozen without setting foot over the threshold and wore varying expressions of horror, shock, and pity, all directed at something over his shoulder. Before Robin could turn around, someone—a very green and angry someone—shoved Robin aside and felt his way back into the hall. The other Titans had stepped aside to let Beast Boy past and were now aiming accusing glares at their leader. Swearing under his breath, Robin went after Beast Boy.

Beast Boy had already made the turn, crossed the hallway, and was trying to remember where he had left his room when Robin caught up to him.

"Beast Boy, about what I said..."

"Oh, I _heard_ what you said," Beast Boy growled, turning to stare blankly in Robin's general direction. "I can't be a superhero anymore, right? Well, stop worrying, Robin. You won't have to baby-sit me anymore. I can take care of myself!" He turned and continued to run his hands across the wall. _Where was his room, damnit!_

Giving into frustration, Beast Boy slammed his fists on the wall, breathing heavily from anger. A few seconds passed before Robin laid a hand on his shoulder and guided him two feet to the left. To the door of his room. Growling again, Beast Boy jerked away from Robin and stormed into his room, slamming the door behind him.

Robin flinched, wondering for a second how one went about slamming an automatic door. He looked up, feeling a presence at his side. Starfire, her eyes filled with equal measures of unwanted sympathy for Beast Boy and undeserved sympathy for himself, stood next to him. Robin lowered his head in shame, remembering the look of unvarnished humiliation and betrayal he had seen in Beast Boy's eyes only moments ago. Starfire remained next to him, for the first time unable to say anything to make the situation better.

* * *

Late that night, so late a few people would claim it was morning, Beast Boy prowled around his room. Anyone else would have been pacing, but Beast Boy felt more like a trapped animal than a restless human.

_I've got to get out of this room!_

Desperately, Beast Boy stumbled out the door and tripped his way down the hall, not quite sure where he was going, only knowing he had to find a way out of that tower! Before too long, he tumbled into the stairs leading up to the roof. Barely thinking, he fell up the steps, bursting out onto the roof as soon as he reached it, and ran to the edge of the roof, clinging to the partition as he took the cool night air deeply into his lungs. After several deep breaths, his brain started working again.

He didn't want to be stuck in his room anymore. He had hoped he could find a way to fight, even without his eyes, but Robin was right. He hadn't been a very good fighter when he could see. What chance did he have now that he was blind?

"No chance at all," he answered himself.

"Giving up, huh? Just like that? I expected better of you, Beast Boy."

Beast Boy frowned. Was that voice from earlier back? No, that one had sounded like Robin. This one sounded more like...

"Raven?"

"Yup." Raven rose from the spot where she had been meditating and walked over to him.

"What are you still doing up? It's gotta be pretty late. I heard the time on the radio a while ago," he added as an afterthought.

"It is." She leaned against the partition. "I was meditating."

"Oh."

They stood there in silence. Beast Boy couldn't have said if it was a friendly silence or an uncomfortable one. But then, that was life with Raven. He could never be sure if they were friends or foes at any given time. Usually, he didn't think about it, but right now, it was better than thinking about anything else.

"You're quitting the team?"

Beast Boy was so startled by Raven breaking the silence, it took his brain a few minutes to register the question. When it did, he just shrugged. "Nothing else I can do. I'd rather not wait around to get kicked off instead."

"We wouldn't do that to you." She had this amazing ability to both sound sympathetic and apathetic at the exact same time.

"Maybe not, but maybe you should."

Raven didn't speak for a while, but when she did, her voice was dripping with disgust. "Well, of course you aren't going to get anywhere with that attitude."

"What attitude? I'm just being... uh...what's the word? Starts with a 'P'..."

"Pragmatic."

"Yeah, that!"

"... Beast Boy, how did you hear what Robin was saying? Before he walked into the room, I mean."

"Huh? I dunno. I just... heard him."

"Those walls are virtually sound proof. You must have really good hearing."

"Well, yeah, I guess so."

"What about your sense of smell? Is that really good, too?"

"Yeah, but who cares how good I smell...?"

"So why can't those replace your eyes?"

"...Say wha'?"

"Blind people often use their other senses to make up for the lack of sight and lead normal lives. Yours are already heightened. Why could you be a superhero?"

"What? But... but that's crazy!"

"Is it worth a try?"

Beast Boy opened his mouth to deliver a firm negative, but stopped for some reason. After thinking it over, he finally answered.

"Yes."

* * *

A/N: Review time! I'm so sorry for not updating sooner! I had computer problems. then school and work and... well, I'll try to get the next one up sooner. PROMISE! 


	8. How?

**New Way Of Seeing**

Terra stood at the end of a cliff, watching the distant Tower, shining in the night like a beacon home. It had once been her home. She knew that now. Standing here, it was hard for her to imagine that such a short time ago, she had been just another girl. Going to high school, worrying about grades and boys, hanging out with her friends... Then she remembered who she was. Her true identity. She abandoned her friends and rejoined her master. But still...

"How...?" Terra asked herself. "How did I just suddenly remember? How did I come back? How did I have these powers, but not be able to use them? How did I know I wanted him, when I didn't even remember his face before? How did I know where to find Slade? It's like... something isn't right about all this. How did it all happen? How...

* * *

_A/N: How, indeed. Since the Fourth season, I've been trying to redo my ENTIRE plotline so it wouldn't deviate from the show too much. Then came season five, and "Things Change". Don't expect a real update anytime soon. Unless I can think up a new subplot and a WHOLE lot of explanations, I may have to scrap the entire story, or start it over, which I know I won't do, as I'm currently realizing that I'm better with ideas and dialogue than imagery, and so am testing the waters of comics._

_I apologize to everyone who have been reading this and waiting patiently (and impatiently) for an update that may not ever come._


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